DEFIANT council chiefs will present their legal case against Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) to a High Court judge in London on Monday.

Congleton Borough Council, with the backing of Shrewsbury and Atcham District Council and the

support of Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, is taking legal action against the Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly, over the LGR process.

Their anger surrounds Cheshire County Council and Chester City Council's rival bids to remove the county's six district authorities in favour of a single-tier unitary council or splitting the county into two unitary councils.

The borough council will ask the court for permission for a full judicial review of the legality of the process and for an injunction to stop any reforms until such a review has taken place.

Conservative leader of the council, Roland Domleo, said: 'We want the opportunity for improved two-tier working, where Cheshire County Council and the district councils work efficiently in partnership, providing quality services whilst keeping decisions local.'

Borough council spokes-woman Lesley Seal added: 'We believe the process is flawed and the Secretary of State has acted outside her powers. She is not allowing proper consultation on the way council services will be delivered in the future.'

The borough council claims the costs of changing local government in Cheshire will be millions of pounds more than the proposers have estimated and all of it will have to be met from local authorities' reserves.